Indian teenager Gukesh Dommaraju became the youngest world champion at the age of just 18.

D.Gukesh, a chess prodigy from Chennai, became the youngest FIDE World Chess Champion by defeating China’s Ding Liren in a thrilling match in Singapore. At 18, he broke Garry Kasparov’s record to become the youngest world champion. Gukesh, who became a grandmaster at 12, had dreamed of this moment since he was seven.

The 14-game match was tied after 13 games, but in the final game, Ding made a mistake on move 55, which Gukesh used to win the title. Over the past three years, Gukesh has achieved major successes, including two Olympiad gold medals and a team bronze in Chennai (2022). Winning the Candidates Tournament gave him the chance to face Ding.




Gukesh is mentored by five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand and has benefited from India’s strong chess community. His parents, both doctors, paused their careers to support him. With sponsorship from Westbridge Capital and help from his school, Velammal Vidyalaya, Gukesh overcame early financial challenges.

Besides chess, Gukesh enjoys meditation, swimming, and tennis. His main goal is to become the world’s top player and have a long career in chess.